Indicating device for lightning arresters



Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,239

, L. R. GOLLADAY INDICATING DEVICE FOR LIGHTNING ARRESTERS Filed May l0. 1922 WITNESSES: INVENTOR /ATTOl-QNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES LAWRENCE B. GOLLADAY,

SYLVAN IA.

Application nled lay 10,

My invention relates to indicating devices, more especiall to devices for protecting electrical insta ations in power-transmission circuits from abnormal volta es.

It is among the objects o this invention to provide a device of the above designated character which shall be of simple, compact structure, inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient lin its operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which shall indicate, by a visual inspection, the condition of the elements contained therein.

In my copending application, Serial No. 15 562,150, filed May 19,-1922, is described a lightning arrester comprising a cylindrical porcelain liousin containing a resistor element and a plura lty of series and shunt-gap electrodes which are connected to terminal 20 leads projecting through the ends of said housing.

My present invention is directed to an 1mprovement in the means for securingl the series resistor and ground leads to the ousing so that, if the arrester fails from any cause, excepting a direct stroke of lightning, it results in overheatin the series resistor and thereby indicating ailure of the device. I accomplish this b resting the resistor element upon a fusib e base, such as wax, in which a bushing is embedded. Upon overheating of the resistor, the wax melts and escapes, allowing the resistor and gap elements to move downwardly to provide a large gap in the arrester. At the same time,

the bushing dro s out of the arrester, eating that the evice has failed.

In the accompanying drawings, constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts,

Figure 1 is a longltudinal sectional view ofa device made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1.

The device consists of a cylindrical insulating housing 1, such as porcelain, having an end cap 2 secured thereto and containing a plurality of electrodes and a` resistor as described in the above-identified application, which are supported by an end cap or base 3 secured to the housing 1. The resistor 4 rests on a bottom termlnal plate 5 secured indi- PATENT OFFICE.

F WILKINSB'URG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- TNDICATING nnvrcn'roa LIGHTNING marismas.

1922. Serial No. 559,916.

to a terminal conductor or ground lead 6. The termlnal glate is supported by an annular column of fusible material, such as wax or a similar substance having a low melting temperature.

The cap 3 is provided with a plurality of openings 8 and a central opening 9.

sleeve of suitable insulating material, such as a fibrous material impregnated with the well-known phenolic condensation products, is embedded in the wax column 7 below the terminal plate l5. The end cap 3 is secured to the housing by aclamp strip 11 heldby a bolt 12. The arrester may be secured by a mounting bracket 14 on the crossarm of a pole, or like support.

Any suitable or usual form of columnar llghtning arrester may be utilized in my device. As set forth in my co-pending application hereinabove mentioned, the arrester may comprise a plurality of shunt gap electrodes 15 which are superposed on the resis? tor rod 4 and which are spaced by annular spacing collars 17 of a suitable resistance material to provide a numberv of resistanceshunted gaps 18. Superposed over the set of shunt ap electrodes 15 is a second set of electro es 19 which are spaced by insulating collars 20 to provide a plurality of series gaps 21. The lightning arrester column may be maintained in place by a spring interposed between the cap 2 and the top of the column. y

My apparatus functions as follows: Thel device is connected to a line to be rotected by the lead 13 and to the ground y lead 6 `and is designed to be inoperative at normal line voltages. If, for any reason, the device is defective, resulting in overheating of the resistor 4, as may be caused by an abnormal voltage in the line, the heat-melts the wax column 7 supporting the terminal plate 5. The molten wax escapes through the o enings 8, causing the terminal plate 5 to rop on the end cap 3, due to the weight of the resistor rod 4 and the series andshunt gap electrodes, (not shown) thereby forcing out the sleeve 10 through the opening 9, making it visible to the inspector' that the device is defective. The melting of the wax produces a large gap between the upper terminal and the gap electrodes of thek lightning arrester, thereby increasing the resistanceof the arrester and preventing discharge of the line current therethrough. The apparatus may then be dismantled and the elements .replaced to again put it in o erative condition.

' rester in a distributing system which is impossible in the ordinary enclosed arrester. It also makes it easy to determine the trouble occurring in such a system in a simple and expeditious manner. is of simple structure and is inexpensive, thereby but slightly increasing the total cost of the device and greatly enhancing its value in service.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that various modiiications may be made in the details of construction thereof without departing from the principles herein set forth. For instance, any fusible material of alow melting temperature may be substituted for the wax em loyed in the terminal support and the end) cap may be of any suitable design to facilitate the lfunctioning of the device as herein described. l

-I claim as my invention:

1. An indicating device comprising a structure to be supported, a supporting means comprising fusible material dis gse underneath said structure and means for so supporting said fusible material as to enable it to support said structure, and a bushing normally embedded in said fusible material and released by the fusion thereof.

2. An indicating'device comprising a base adapted to support a structure and having a plurality of openings, a fusible material dis osed between said base and structure and in icating means operated by the fusion of said material, said indicating means comprising an insulating' bushing embedded in said fusible material and adapted to project throu h one of said openings in sai base.

3. n indicating device comprising a base secured to an insulating housing and adapted to support a resistor element and having a plurality of openings therein, a fusible material having an insulating bushing'embedded therein disposed between said base and column, said bushing being adapted to escape throughvone of said openings when said material fuses.

4. In a protective device comprising' a plurality of members constituting a discharge path, lan inclosing casinohaving a base supporting said members, a usible mass disposed between said base and said members and means adapted to be expelled through said base for visually indicating abnormal operation of said device.

5. In a protective device comprising a plu- 'Ihe indicating meansl rality of members constituting a discharge path, an inclosing casing having a base supporting said members, a fusible mass disposed between said base and said members and a bushing actuated u on the fusion of said mass for visually in icating abnormal operationv of said device.

6. In a protective device comprising a plurality of members constituting a discharge path, an inclosing casing having a'base supporting said members, a fusible. mass disposed between s a id base and said members and a bushing disposed under said members and adapted to be expelled through said \base upon the fusion of said material.

7. A lightning arrester comprising gap electrodes including a bottom terminal plate and terminal conductor, an enclosing casing, and a separate fusible supporting member for retaining said terminal plate in position Within said casing.

8. A lightning arrester comprising gap electrodes including a bottom terminal plate and terminal conductor, an enclosing casing, a Iseparate fusible supporting member for retaining said terminal plate in position within said casing, and means associated with said casing for retaining said terminal plate after-said fusible member has melted and after said terminal plate has dropped suiiicientl to prevent the discharge of line current t rough the arrester.

9. A lightning arrester comprising gap electrodes, a resistor rod, and an enclosing casing, said structure comprising a fusible part for permitting a part of the structure to fall down within said casing. p

10. A lightning arrester comprising gap electrodes, aresistor rod, and an enclosing casing, said structure comprising a fusible part for permitting a part of the structure to fall down within said casing to prevent the continued discharge of line current therethrough. i

11. In a lightning arrester, the combination withl a plurality of ap electrodes, a bottom terminal plate, am? a terminal conductor secured to said terminal plate, of an enclosing casing, and a separate fusible supportin member of insulating material dlsosed elow said terminal plate for retaining the same in position.

12. A lightning arrester comprising a vertically disposed insulating cylindrical supporting casing, a high-potential lead entering the upper port-ion of said casing, a column of active material disposed within said casing, a flexible ground lead suspended from the bottom of the arrester, and supporting means disposed below the bottom of said column, said means operating upon the occurrence of abnormal heating of said column to permit said column to fall downwardly, the upper portions of said casing remaining intact.

asians 13. A lightnin arrester com rising a vertically disposed insulating cy indrical supporting casing, a high-potential lead entering the upper portion of said casi a coli umn ofactive material disposed wit in said casing, a iexible ground lead suspended from the bottom o the arrester, and supporting means disposed below the bottom of said column in spaced relation above the l. lower end of said supporting cylinder, said means operating ,upon the occurrence of abnormal heatin of said column to permit said column to fa downwardly, the upperportions of said casing remaining intact.

l 14. A lightning arrester com rising a vertically disposed insulating cy indrical sup-v porting casing, a high-potential lead enter ing the up r portion of said casin a column of active material disposed wi in lsaid. casing, a flexible ground lead suspended from the bottom of the arrester, support' means disposed below the bottom of sai column in spaced relation above the lower end of said supporting cylinder, said means operating upon the occurrence of abnormal heating of said column to permit said col umn to fall downwardly, the upper, rtions of said cas' remaining intact, an means for limiting t e downward movement of said `porting casing', a high-potential lead entermg the upper portion of said casin a column of active material disposed wit 'n said casing, said column comprising a resistor rod and a plurality of dischar electrodes in superposed relation, a iiexi le ground lead s nded from the bottom ofthe arrester, an supporting means disposed below the bottom of. said column, said means operatin upon the occurrence of abnormal' heating o said column to rmit said column to fall downwardly, sai resistor rod beingdisposed at the bottom of the vcolumn whereby the heat generated within the device is greater at the lower end. i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of May,

LAWRENCE R. GOLLADAY. 

